Chapter 14 - THE LAST CHANCE TO CALL THEM HIS GRANDCHILDREN
Mara advised Thomas not to sign Robert’s statement.
Thomas had not needed advice on that part.
Robert’s attorney withdrew the wording within hours.
Too late.
The message existed.
Not as proof of a crime.
As proof of intent.
Thomas asked for one final family meeting before making decisions about future contact.
No attorneys.
No extended relatives.
Thomas, Leah, Caroline, Robert, and Helen.
They met at Caroline’s house because she refused to return to the Lakewood property.
Thomas placed no documents on the table.
Robert immediately noticed.
“I thought this was about your evidence.”
“It isn’t.”
“Then why are we here?”
Thomas looked at his father.
“To find out if there is anything left to talk about.”
Helen’s eyes filled.
Robert crossed his arms.
Thomas continued.
“Rebecca is ten. Samuel is eight. Jacob is six. I’m going to ask one question.”
Robert looked irritated.
“Ask.”
“Are they your grandchildren?”
Helen answered first.
“Yes.”
Thomas kept looking at Robert.
Robert said, “Jacob is.”
Caroline shut her eyes.
Leah did not move.
Thomas nodded once.
“Okay.”
Helen turned on her husband.
“Robert.”
“What?”
“Stop.”
“I’m not going to lie because everyone wants to feel good.”
Thomas stood.
Helen reached toward him.
“Please sit down.”
He did not.
She looked frightened.
Not of Thomas leaving the room.
Of what his leaving meant.
“Rebecca and Samuel love you,” Helen said.
Thomas felt anger rise.
“Don’t use what they feel to avoid what you did.”
“I made mistakes.”
“You tied the aprons.”
Her hand dropped.
Helen looked at Leah.
“I’m sorry.”
Leah answered, “You need to be sorry to them.”
“I am.”
“That’s different from saying it.”
Robert pushed his chair back.
“This is ridiculous. They’re children.”
Thomas looked at him.
“Yes.”
The simplicity of the answer stopped him.
“They were children when you decided they were less valuable.”
Robert stood too.
“I never said valuable.”
“You put money behind one group and work behind the other.”
Robert’s face hardened.
“I don’t regret protecting what I spent my life building.”
“The house?”
Thomas asked.
Robert said nothing.
“The money?”
Nothing.
“The name?”
Robert looked away.
Thomas understood that this was the closest his father would come to admitting the truth.
He turned to Helen.
“The lease ends next summer. You have the options Mara sent.”
Helen nodded weakly.
“And the children?” she asked.
“There will be no contact with Dad right now.”
Robert laughed bitterly.
“There it is.”
Thomas ignored him.
He looked at his mother.
“With you, I’m leaving one door open.”
Helen’s face changed.
Not relief.
Hope mixed with fear.
“You write each child an apology. No excuses. No ‘your grandfather was stressed.’ No ‘we wanted to teach you.’ No gifts. No asking them to forgive you. Leah and I will read the letters first.”
Helen nodded quickly.
“And if they don’t want to see you?”
Her mouth trembled.
Thomas waited.
That was the actual test.
Helen looked toward Robert.
He stared at the wall.
For most of her marriage, she had made his discomfort the first problem in every room.
Finally she looked back at Thomas.
“Then I accept it.”
Robert turned toward her.
“Helen.”
She flinched.
But she did not take the sentence back.
Thomas walked out with Leah.
May you like
Behind them, Robert began accusing everyone of choosing strangers over family.
For the first time, Helen did not immediately answer him.
